As part of their 25th anniversary celebration, Strut Records on August 30th reissued Nigeria 70, the 2001 compilation that originally got the great African vinyl gold rush started.
Nigeria 70 certainly wasn't the first anthology of African music ever released, but it hit the zeitgeist at just the right time. Its formula of deeply funky and deeply obscure music, extensive and erudite liner notes, brilliant graphic design, sensitive remastering and ethical licensing are the template for labels like Soundway, Analog Africa, Ostinato, Awesome Tapes From Africa and others (including Strut itself, of course) who are making great African recordings accessible to all listeners.
I'll play a couple of my favorite Nigeria 70 tracks on this week's program, and also a couple of selections from the outstanding recent compilation of the São Toméan band África Negra.
Also this week (Sunday September 8, 1:00-3:00 PM on WRIR, for two weeks afterwards at
wrir.org/listen, check your local listings for airing on other radio stations, and any old time at
my podcast site): New acoustic African sounds from Tidiane Thiam and Annarella & Django, Brazilian
forró including a new single by Priscilla Frade, the Latin psychedelia of Los Bitchos and La Sonora Mazurén, and some Latin soul to finish up the show.